08.07.07
A disquisition on blade sampler packs
Current as of 12 July 2009.
I’ve mentioned blade sampler packs so frequently—and it’s such an important idea to convey to the novice DE shaver—that I thought I should do a post just on that topic.
The sampler packs arise from the unpredictability of any individual shaver’s response to any brand of blade. Each brand has those who love it and those who hate it, along with those who are indifferent. Some brands may have a preponderance one way or the other, but even if only a few hate (or love) a brand, what if you are one of those few? You can’t use the brand statistically: “I love this particular blade 60%, and hate it 35%, and am indifferent 5%.” With the individual shaver and a particular blade, it’s a 100% decision. So the individual shaver has to try multiple brands, rather than simply pick those that are (statistically) popular. (See this post for results of a series of polls on how well shavers like certain brands—and note that for every brand, some like it, some don’t like it, and some are indifferent.)
If it were not like this—if shavers responded in the same way to a blade (which many novices believe is the case, and simply ask “Which blade is sharpest?” as if that would be the best blade for them)—then there would exist only one brand of blade: THE blade. Perhaps it would be sold in different colors of packages, or with different decorations printed on the blade, but everyone would use it because it is the “best” blade.
But life is not like that, and so the sampler packs exist. Originally, there was only one sampler pack, offered by LetterK on BadgerandBlade.com and ShaveMyFace.com. LetterK later established a Web site that sells a variety of sampler packs (WestCoastShaving.com), and two other vendors began selling sampler packs (ConnaughtShaving.com in the UK, and RazorandBrush.com in the US). RazorandBrush has recently had to shutter its doors, and ShoeboxShaveshop.com has picked up many of the lines previously available from RazorandBrush. There may well be more vendors of blade sampler packs—I only recently learned that Details for Men and Fendrihan sell blade sampler packs.
So far as I know, these are the only current sources for sampler packs. Links to the vendors’ sampler packs, in alphabetic order:
- BullGoose Shaving Supplies (in the US)
- Connaught Shaving (in the UK)
- Details for Men (in the US)
- Fendrihan (in Canada)
- Shoebox Shaveshop (in the US)
- West Coasting Shaving (in the US)
In general, I suggest getting as many brands to try as possible: the largest sampler pack with the broadest range of brands. You have only a statistical prediction of which brands you’ll like, and for your own individual experience, that’s not enough (as pointed out above). So the more brands the better.
Some of the blades (Treet Blue Special, Treet DuraSharp HiTech Steel) are made of carbon steel rather than stainless steel. Carbon steel can take a sharper edge than stainless, but carbon steel also will rust. Here’s how to handle that for razor blades. As it happens, the Treet Blue Special is very definitely a “best blade” for me.
Experienced shavers all recommend that, as soon as a novice finds a brand that seems to work reasonably well, he should be faithful to that brand to polish his technique, and not try another brand until he’s consistently getting good, smooth, nick-free shaves — perhaps a month or two. The shorthand for this is “fidelity,” which means using the same blade brand, razor, brush, and shaving soap or cream until one’s technique is sound.
Once your technique is sound, you can begin the exploration. In particular, it would be unwise to skip from brand to brand to brand, one shave each: you would never then learn the particularities of a brand of blade and whether it actually works for you. It would be like trying to learn tennis while using a different brand of racquet for each set: you’d never find your groove.
Of course, once you’re getting good shaves, you might think, “Why try another brand? This one’s doing okay. Better just to stick with it.” I have my own view of the benefits of an extended exploration, but indeed some shavers simply stick with the first brand they encounter that gives they consider a good shave. I’ve read comments, “This brand seems to tug a lot, but when I’m finished, I have a good shave, so it’s a good blade.”
I don’t agree: if a blade tugs a lot, it’s not a good blade for you. Shaving is about the process as well as the end result: both should be pleasurable. That’s what I recommend that shavers explore a wide variety of brands of blades after their shaving technique is established: so that they can find the best brand for them, not just an acceptable brand.
Still, one must recognize that some people are explorers and others are settlers. The settlers like to settle down, the explorers like to continue exploring. So in part the decision will depend on your personality type.
If you try a new brand and get a terrible shave, discard that blade and try another blade of the same brand—it may have just been a bad blade. (Rare, but it does happen.) If the second blade of the brand also gives you a terrible shave, discard it and mark that brand off the list: it’s obviously not for you.
EXCEPTION: If you have more than one razor, try the blade in another razor before you give up on it. A blade that’s terrible in the HD might be wonderful in a Gillette Super Speed and vice versa.
Call the blade that so far works best for you the “best blade.”
- Shave for a week with the current “best blade.” This sets the baseline for comparison.
- Shave for a week with a new brand of blade (unless it fails the test of two terrible shaves).
- If the new brand is the better of the two, it is now your new “best blade”: go to 2 to try another new brand.
- If the new brand is not the better, go to 1.
By using this approach you’re always comparing just two brands: your best so far and a new brand. That makes the comparison easy, and by always starting the comparison with a week shaving with the “best,” you not only get a break from testing, you get a fresh reminder of what a blade that’s good for you feels like before you try the next new brand.
One experienced shaver discovered that sometimes two different brands are almost equal in quality, and that for those, using each brand on alternate days allows for a closer comparison.
When you decide against a brand, jot down a note on why you’re rejecting it (too dull, nicks too frequently, irritates your skin—whatever), put the note and the remaining blades of that brand in an envelope, write the brand name and the date on the envelope, and put it aside. After six months or a year, you might want to try the brand again to see whether things (your prep, technique, razor, etc.) have changed and the brand is now good for you. If not, pass those blades along to someone else—for him, they may well be a “best blade”.
For me, my own current best blades are: Treet Blue Special, Astra Superior Platinum, Astra Keramik Platinum, the Wilkinson family (Economie, UK, and German), Zorrik, Polsilver Stainless, and Iridium Super. Sputnik blades are also good, especially after the first shave. Once Feather and Tiger were among my favorites, but I finally decided that they was too ready to nick for no reason. They’re like a high-powered but unstable motorcycle: great performance but unpredictable. You may have a different experience. Gillette 7 O’Clock ExtraSharp (not to be confused with the 7AM brand) were so sharp that I couldn’t comfortably use them—not erratic, just very, very sharp. Some guys like them a lot—but be careful with them.
With a microscope you can see the actual differences in the edges of different brands. At the link are microphotographs of the edges of Dorco New Platinum ST300,Personna Platinum Chrome (”Red Box”), Crystal Super + Platinum (”Israeli Personna”), and the Treet Blue Special. The Treet clearly has a well sharpened edge—but still it works well for only a minority (for whom it works extremely well).
It is wrong to assume (as some do) that the West Coast Shaving sampler has the “good” blades and the others are inferior or of lesser quality. It’s simply not true, as you’ll find when you try the blades yourself. The “good” blades are those that work well for you, and (for me) I found my “good” blades in Razor and Brush’s largest sampler pack.
jim said,
9 September 2007 at 6:41 am
I’m wondering if in trying the different blades in the different sampler packs, one should stay with the same razor, so as to remove the razor as a variable in the process. Same questions applies to the cream or soap used.
I’m currently working my way through the RazorandBrush #4 pack, and have decided to give each blade a try in a Gillette TV (safety bar razor) and an Gillette New (open-comb razor). I want to see if there’s a difference in how each blade does in each type of razor.
Thoughts/comments/suggestions appreciated.
Thanks.
jim
LeisureGuy said,
9 September 2007 at 9:27 am
Removing the variables is hard to fault, but you’re more rigorous than I. However, I do note that when I try a new brand, I gravitate toward the Merkur Classic head, using the HD, the 1904, or one of the Edwin Jagger razors. So that variable I do in fact remove. If the blade works there, I will use it in other razors more or less indiscriminately.
So far as limiting which cream or soap I use, I haven’t done that. I do take the lather into account, and if for some reason I get a bad lather (as in the mishap with the silicone grease), I don’t hold the blade accountable.
Joaquin said,
11 September 2007 at 9:18 pm
I like the idea of removing variables. When exploring a new product in any of the major shaving disciplines, I will always use a hot wet face towel, my HD, a new Derby Blade, a puck of MB/C&E super and a post dab of Nivea ESB as my gold standard. Meaning if I try a new product, I will substitute the new product say, a treet blue special, for the Derby, then follow the format above to the letter. That way, I can figure out within a few shaves the exact performance increase or decrease, and move on quickly.
scott said,
11 October 2007 at 10:25 am
Michael—Do you have a telephone number for Razor and Brush. I would like to order a sampler pack, but I am a little (lot) reticient about sending a fax copy of my credit card to them.
Thank you
Scott
LeisureGuy said,
11 October 2007 at 10:31 am
Sure. Check out the ordering process. The number is 561-792-4244, but read the page for the complete story.
guitarslinger said,
27 January 2008 at 1:34 pm
Hey Leisureguy,
I’ve made it a point to buy pretty much every blade available.
In order to try the most blades in the least amount of time, I rig up 5 or 6 gillettes with similar heads. knack, lady, SS, slim adj on 5, etc.
I then do half passes with each blade. I know this isn’t the most scientifically sound method, but it’s fun. I could tell right away I didn’t like Tigers or Zorrik’s, but I absolutely loved Gillette 7 O’Clocks and Treet Platinums.
I keep a spreadsheet updated every day with razor used, blade in which razor, which cream or soap, which aftershave, etc. It’s really fun, and I have tried so many blades it’s unbelievable.
I say, go to razorandbrush and buy the huge sampler, then sift through the other blade offerings in case you missed any.
Gene
Steve said,
29 January 2008 at 7:54 am
Although trying to limit the variables is scientifically admirable, truth is, the one variable that’s hard to control is the condition of your skin on any given day. The skin mirrors much of what is going on in our lives, from lack of sleep, too much stress, sun-exposure, wind exposure, ambient humidity and temperature, previous shave quality, exercise, etc., etc.
I guess the moral of the story is that in the shaving arena, scientific rigor is limited in value. I would say that if you shave with a given blade for a week, regardless of razor, cream, etc., you will get a pretty good “feel” for if that blade works for you.
Jimmy said,
5 May 2008 at 3:13 am
Hi LeisureGuy!
I’ve been DE-shaving about 1 week… maybe 10 days and now I’m considering the “Connaught Sampler Packs”.
As you stated, the UK pack should be the best bet, as for the many brands.
My question is if I should go with the small UK pack or the large one?
What is your recommendation here?
Thanks again for a great blog
LeisureGuy said,
5 May 2008 at 7:10 am
Since you don’t know which brand(s) will work for you, so you want to get the sampler pack with the greatest number of brands. That said, in the initial month or two (or three), you should stick with one brand only until your technique is solid and well-established. If you don’t, any problems you have with a new brand could be the brand or it could be a problem with your technique, so you wouldn’t know. Getting the sampler pack now is fine, but a full exploration should wait until you’re ready.
Jimmy said,
18 May 2008 at 10:32 am
Thanks!
Then I will probably wait a couple of months.
But when I decide to try the sample packs, I will get the one with most brands. In this particular case the UK connaught pack.
What is your recommendation, to get the packs with 5 blades/brand, or should I get the pack with 10 blades/brand. I will get the largest brand pack, but wonder if I should get 5 or 10/brand. Thanks
Hopefully I was clear
LeisureGuy said,
18 May 2008 at 10:40 am
The 5-blade packs are the better bet. You can be sure that some of the packs simply won’t work for you, however good they may be for someone else, so you want to pay for as few blades as possible of those. When you find the blades that are best for you, you can get those in greater quantities.
Phil said,
12 July 2009 at 1:15 pm
BullGoose Shaving Supplies http://www.bullgooseshaving.net also offers DE blade sample packs. There is currently a 61 blade sample pack (The BullGoose Gold) and a 35 blade sample pack (The BullGoose Thrifty). There are plans to add additional sample packs in the near future.
LeisureGuy said,
12 July 2009 at 3:48 pm
Many thanks for the pointer. I’ve updated the post (and the book, for the next edition).
Phil said,
12 July 2009 at 5:02 pm
That is great news! When is the new addition scheduled for release? Your book has served as an invaluable reference and my copy has become dog eared.
LeisureGuy said,
12 July 2009 at 7:26 pm
Well, it’s not really scheduled yet. When it is released, you can be sure that there’ll be an announcement on the blog.